Shower curtain holder



Jan. 23, 1940. J. SHERMAN SHOWER CURTAIN HOLDER Filed Feb. 13, 1939 49 INVENTOR Jack Sherman BY J el/M A TO R N EY Patented Jan. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOWER CURTAIN HOLDER Jack Sherman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application February 13, 1939, Serial No. 256,125

3 Claims.

This invention relates to shower-bath curtain installations, and particularly to means designed "imity and arrangement of the adjacent bath room walls, the location of the shower head, the force of the spray and other factors. The induced air currents frequently draw the curtain in against the bather, or may blow it out of the tub, and where more than one curtain is employed may separate the curtains at the overlapping parts thereof and permit leakage of water therepast.

My invention contemplates the provision of means for preventing the displacement of the curtain inwardly or outwardly of the tub or away from the adjacent curtain and. the elimination of the discomfort and annoyance resulting therefrom, said means taking the form of rods suspended from the curtain rod and slidable thereon, and arranged to be locked against swinging movement and thereby to hold the curtain in its proper operative position.

My invention further contemplates the pro- -vision of simple and inexpensive means adapted to be employed with present shower curtain installations and also of means adapted for new installations for preventing the curtain from blowing about.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a shower-curtain holding installation comprising rods engaging the curtain and designed to be readily locked in place at their upper ends against swinging movement or movement other than sliding movement on the curtain rod on which the rods are suspended.

The various objects of the invention will be clear from the description which follows and from the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shower bath and curtain installation showing a typical form of my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan of the curtain rod and of the curtain-holding means of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa vertical section of the curtain rod showing the curtain-holding rod and the means ior locking the latter rod in place on the curtain rod.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a modified form of my invention wherein a curtain rod of noncircular cross-section is used;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of one form of the curtain-holding rods showing sewing holes'therein by means of which the rod may be secured to the curtain. I

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a curtain and of one of the curtain-holding rods showing the rod inserted into a pocket at an edge of the curtain.

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the curtainholding rod inserted in a pocket at the center i rod to a part of the curtain intermediate the side edges thereof.

My invention is applicable to all of the usual types of shower curtain installations using curtain rods, whether of the L-shaped, U-shaped,

circular or straight line type, though I have shown my invention applied in Fig. 1 to the L-shaped type.

In the practical embodiment of the invention which I have shown by way of example, the L-shaped curtain rod I5, as is usual, is circular in cross-section and secured to the adjacent walls of the bath room in the usual manner. The usual curtain rings l6 sliding on the rod, removably support the curtains I! and I8 which are intended to be overlapped at their adjacent edge portions. In connection with the usual installation of this nature, I have provided means for preventing the curtains from blowing inwardly or outwardly of the tub l9 or from blowing apart at the overlapped parts thereof.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, said means takes the form of a plurality of vertical curtainholding rods and one or more locking clamps mounted on the curtain rod l5 for preventing the holding rods from swinging on the curtain rod or from separating from each other when used at the adjacent edges of the adjacent cur-' tains. The end holding rod is preferably, though not necessarily, inserted in the vertical pocket 2| at the edge of the curtain l8. Said pocket is formed by doubling back on itself the marginal part 22 of the curtain and securing it by stitching as 23 (Fig. 7). The pocket is preferably left open at the top for the insertion of the rod. At its upper end, the rod is bent into a generally U-shaped open hook 241 embracing the curtain rod l and terminating in an inwardly bent part 25 to limit the distance which the rod 20. may be raised ordinarily above the curtain rod. A roller as .26 is mounted in horizontal position on the hook for free rotation thereabout, said roller rolling on the curtain rod as the holding rod 20 is moved along said curtain rod. Preferably, the holdingrod is made just long enough to extend slightly past the top of the tub, but not to' extend too far into the tub. A part 21 of thehook portion 24 is flattened or otherwise reduced in thickness or diameter in order that the rod 20 may be removablygclamped or, lockedin the clamp '28.

Saidclampppreferably,comprises the band 29 havingoutstanding,perforated, flanges 30, 3! throughwhich is passed the bolt 32 for adjustably tighteninggtheiclamp .onthe curtain rod. Therod-receiving clip. 33 is secured in a transverseaposition to the bandand is provided with the spaced cylindrical,rod-holders 34 and 35, each having anxopening as 36. at its side. The inner. diameters of. the: holders 34 and 35 are each: about the same as the unreduced part of the rod 20 or hook 24.

When.the rod 20 is1to be clamped in. position, its-.hookportion 24 is moved along the curtain -.:rod',.l5; nntil-it: reachesa position between the members 34 and 35 of the clamp 28. The rod is theniraisedandalsomoved. along the clip 33 to carry thereduced-portion 21 through the open side of and into one of the holders 3G or 35, the .bent portion 25 preventing the .hook from being liftedofii therod J5; Afterthe reduced part 21 has entered the clamp membentherod is dropped thereby carrying. the unreduced hook part which is above the' part 21,, into the holder and locking therod andthe curtain engaged thereby against movement. relativelyto the curtain rod, except a deliberate lifting movement to disengage the up right rodfrom the .clamp..

A. rod .3-1-.similar to the rod .20 may be inserted inthepocket .38;at.the edge 39 of thecurtain la, a clamp-.42 being arranged. onthe curtain rod l5 at'the -proper point to-lock the rod when the curtain is stretched into its operative position as shown 'in'Figs.--1 and 2. Insaid position, the curtain' IBis'beloW and is drawnpast the holder 35. The rod 31' when'lowered'is held by the holder 3 3 of the clamp. To open the curtain, the rod 31 is lifted to bring its reduced part 2? adjacent the ide opening in the holder 34 whereafter the rod isjwith'drawn transversely from the clip 33 and slid along the curtain rod to the left end thereof.

Thecurtain IT- is. similarly provided with similar rods as 40 and 4! at its side edges. The rod il] -.isdrawn past .the right-hand edge 39 of the curtain 18 to cause the curtain I8 to overlap the curtain' ll.- Saidrod 40 is' then engaged with and locked in the holder 35 of the corresponding clampy42 in the manner hereinbefore explained iiiin-connectionwiththe rods 20 and 31. The rod 'llai'locke'dgzin their uprightpositions, the adjacent.

41-; atuthe other. side edge of the curtain I! is similarly locked in the clamp 43 which is similar to-the clamps 28 and 42. and hence need not be further;.-described. The rods. Mend 3? being edge portions of the curtains cannot separate to permit water to pass therebetween.

If, owing to the length of the curtain the edge rods in the curtains should prove to be insufficient to prevent the intermediate part of either curtain from blowing about, then as many additional rods as 4 3 and corresponding clamps as 45 may be provided as may be found convenient or desirable.

It will be understood that where a straight line curtain rod is used'in place of the L-shaped curtain rod IS, a single curtain as [8 may be used, and only edge rods and end clamps normally employed. Where the curtain is of considerable length, however, or where the current of air is excessive, it may be advisable to employ the additional intermediate upright rod and a corresponding clamp. Where the curtain rod is U-shaped, two curtains similar to the curtain I! are used withend clamps as 43 and 28 and an intermediate clamps as 42-, by means of which the adjacent edges of the curtains-may be overlapped. Where. a circular, curtain rodyis. employed, the usual.

single curtain may, be used Withedge rods and end clamps, with or Without an intermediate rod andclamp-as may bev found desirable. ,Since our- 7 tain rods now in. ordinary use are of circular cross-section, the fixed clamps as 28and-42 serve to form a lockingmeans for the upright rods 1 adapted .to be readily clamped in placeon the curtain rod in spite-of its circular cross section, and from which the upright rods need seldom b disengaged.

In those cases where it is not'desired to insert a curtain-holding rod in edge pockets or-central pockets, (see Fig. 6) the; rodas 46 may be provided with sewing holes asfl at the desired intervals as byflatteningja portionof the rod if de sired, and'piercing it, though it will be obvious that thesewing holes may .be'made in the rod Without flattening .it. The-curtain lsymay then be readily sewnto the-rod by the stitching 48;

passing through the sewing holes. To remove the r0d,.the stitching vis severed and the curtain freed for laundering and thelike. Should sewing prove objectionable in certain casesythe rod. 20 may be secured to the'edge portion of the curtain by bending the edge portion as 49 (Figs-9 and 10) about the rod and securing the curtain in place on the curtain-holdingrod as by means of a suitable-U-shaped spring clip as-Efi; A similar clip 50 may be used to hold the curtain-holding rod as. 5! to any intermediate part" of the curtain.

It by merely wrap-ping the curtain'partly around the rod and passing the clip over the curtain and past the rod as will be readily seen from Fig. 11, the tendency of the clip sides to close holding the parts adequately together.

Referring now to Fig. 5, I have there shown an thereof and :of:the curtain rod. The clamp 42-.

may be used to insure-overlapping if more than one curtain is used. The rod .59'is preferably The curtain holding provided withv therolle'rifi adapted to .roll on the curtain rod to permit easy sliding ofthe cur- Iii) tain-holding rod from the open position of the curtain to the closed position thereof. The holders 34 and 35 of the clamps 28, 42 and 43 being on the inside of the curtain rod, the bather can readily manipulate and lock and unlock the upright rods.

It will be seen from the above that I have provided a simple and inexpensive means adapted to be applied to shower-curtain rods now in use and the curtains therefor, and also adapted for new installations, for preventing blowing of the curtains aboutv either inwardly or outwardly, and preventing the edge portions of adjacent curtains from separating.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, but intend to claim the invention as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a shower-bath curtain installation, a curtain rod, means for preventing displacement of the curtain from its operative position when stretched into said position, said means comprising a plurality of upright rods, each terminating at its upper end in a curtain-rod-engaging portion slidably mounted on the curtain rod, means for detachably securing said upright rods to the curtain, a clamp on the curtain rod for each of the upright rods, a reduced part on each of the upright rods adjacent the curtain-rod-engaging portion, and rod holders on the clamp having side openings therein and having an inner diameter substantially equal to the unreduced portion of said curtain-rod-engaging portion, said curtainrod-engaging portion preventing all movement of the rod except upward and disengaging movement thereof when the reduced portion of an upright rod is passed through the side opening of a holder and then moved downward to arrange re unreduced part of the rod in said holder.

2. In a shower-bath curtain installation, a curtain rod, upright curtain-engaging rods, a bent portion at the upper end of each of the upright rods slidably mounted on the curtain rod, a clamp for each of the upright rods fixed to the curtain rod, a rod-holding member on the clamp adapted to removably receive part of the bent portion, and a reduced part on the rod below the bent portion entering the holder when the rod is lifted to permit sidewise withdrawal of the upright rod from the holder.

3. In a shower-bath curtain installation, a clamp provided with means for fixing said clamp to a curtain rod, said clamp having a cylindrical member open at its top and bottom and open at one side thereof, said clamp being adapted to hold a curtain-engaging rod, and an upright curtam-engaging rod having a bent portion at its upper end slidable on the curtain rod and having a reduced portion below the bent portion, said reduced portion being of lesser thickness than the Width of the side opening of the rod-holding member and the top and bottom openings of said member.

JACK SHERMAN. 

